Pool of Dreams
by PeleFrostfeather
Summary: The beginning of Sesshomaru and Rin's romantic relationship. Content warning: romance, nudity, lemon.
1. Chapter 1: The Pool

Rin dragged the brush through her hair. Despite Kagome's lectures of patience and care, she had little in the way of her hair. She hadn't brushed it since dawn, when she'd started working, and it showed. After a few minutes of trying to treat her scalp tenderly, she set the brush down on a smooth stone beside the hot springs, and sighed.

Conditioning the tangles out was a better option. Sure, it wasn't great for her hair, but she no longer possessed the patience to deal with it. Wishing Kagome were here to help, she carefully removed her yukata and placed it on the dry bank, and sank into the water. It felt good on her fingers specifically, after being poked and worked to the bone. Taking a deep breath, she let go - smelling the grass, the moss, the trees, the water.

She washed and deep conditioned her hair with gifts Kagome had made her. To Rin, the gels smelled like water lilies. It was a soft, delicate scent, and bathing in it reminded her of the ends of long journeys with Sesshomaru and Jaken, because the ponds outside of the castle had water lilies growing nearby.

_This is much easier_, she thought, feeling the brush run through without much resistance. What would have taken ten minutes before now took two. With a jade hair stick that Sesshomaru had gifted her, she wound her conditioned hair up into a bun and secured it.

The surrounding forest became more distinct once her hair no longer needed tending. Behind her, there was a barely perceivable presence of soft white light. To others, it may have been the ambience of the moonlight filtering through sparse leaves overhead, or perhaps the sensation that they were being watched, but Rin was not easily fooled. Lord Sesshomaru needed not Ah-Un to fly.

_So he's here._

Closing her eyes, she sank back into the water soundlessly, resting her head against stone. Sesshomaru's observance did not disturb her, for she was sure that by the time she trained herself to notice it, he had been doing it for a while. He had done this many times before, when she had taken the liberty of leaving the castle on her own, most often escape to quiet places such as these. He could find her anywhere. Rin felt safe knowing he could sense her wherever she was; never truly alone, never completely vulnerable. She began to drift off, comfortably blanketed in warm water, knowing protection was near. It warmed her heart.

How long she rested that way with his eyes on her, she didn't know. Her breathing became slow and deep, and she dozed. After some time, her hair became cold and woke her, being such a stark contrast between the hot springs and warm humidity of her surroundings. Sleepily, she unwound her hair and immersed herself in the water again, until she no longer felt the slimy quality of conditioner when she ran her fingers through.

Slightly more awake now, she wondered how long she could keep up a cycle of wetting her hair to warm it as she took little naps in the hot spring. Kagome had warned her of this, _bargaining for rest,_ as she had called it. It was a symptom of sleep deprivation. Working was considerably more important than sleep, at least, until she was mostly asleep. She'd never grown out of disliking idleness, as others had told her she would.

Mind muzzy with tiredness, she debated getting out of the pool. In this stupor, she had forgotten about Sesshomaru's presence.

Rin had spent so many years beside him, she thought she would never be surprised by him again. Neither his indifference nor candor would ever astonish her. Upon later reflection, she supposed she could have assumed that because of those things, he would do what he was about to do.

Sesshomaru stepped out from the darkness into the moonlight before Rin's unfocused gaze, pale and unclothed, his face expressionless. A bit of her numbness ebbed away as she made eye contact with him. She, too, wore no expression - only a pale pink blush tinged her cheeks.

She was, however, surprised. Such a gesture from him was openly romantic. They kept eye contact for a moment before Sesshomaru spoke.

"Rin," he prompted. "Please wash my hair."

His voice matched his face; expressionless and cool.

"Yes, my Lord," Rin responded, surprising herself with how husky her voice sounded. Either she had expected herself to sound like a child, or her emotional response to the situation was audible.

Rin was fully aware that his hair needed neither washing or brushing. He was naturally superior to humans in most ways. She scanned him as he approached, seeing him for the first time completely disrobed.

His pale skin did not change pigment, not even on his face and neck despite constant sun exposure. The same thin purple markings that lined his cheeks and arms also lined his ribs and legs, in symmetrical sets of two. They were the only marks on him, for he had no scars. Every muscle was perfectly proportioned to the next, each movement causing them to ripple beneath the surface. It looked as though he were hewn from stone; something designed to last forever by nature herself. Though she spent most of her life with this being, seldom did they have physical contact, none at all after her becoming a teenager. She could not recall if his skin was as cold to the touch as it looked, as it had been years.

Entering the pool before her, he closed his eyes and submerged himself to completely wet his hair. Upon resurfacing, he faced her, making eye contact again. She tried to stay beneath the water, to cover herself just a little although she knew it was transparent.

Keeping her face impassive, she was acutely aware of how her palms had begun to sweat although they were under water. The unpleasant sharp tingle carried itself up her spine. He did not miss a thing; only a few moments after it had happened, his gaze dropped to study what of her he could see. He said nothing, but turned and instead offered his hair, perhaps as a reaction to her body's betrayal of anxiety.

Just then, it occurred to her that he had said _please_. He had never asked her for anything, and he never said please. The thought warmed her heart and slightly eased her tension as she picked up Kagome's floral shampoo.

It seemed befitting to her that he, a king, would be bathed in flowers.

His hair was soft, far softer than hers. She noted that his skin was very warm and soft but unforgiving to the touch as she made her way through the task. Although it did not need washing, she did it thoroughly. She conditioned it, and brushed it through, careful to keep the long, silvery mane wrapped around her forearm and out of the water so as to not wash away the conditioner, although it was unnecessary. She noted that while her hair tangled from washing, his did not. It was as smooth and soft as it had been before they'd started. Thinking about how unnecessary it all was, she looked away from his hair to his reflection in the still pool below.

His eyes were closed.

She didn't need to tell him she was finished, and wouldn't have anyway. The softness of his hair in her hands was lovely, the contact soothing and right to her. She could see where the dark purple marks came up along the back of his ribs, ending close to his spine. She wanted to trace them with her fingers, but refrained. The self restraint made her tired again, this time a little worse than earlier. Again, Sesshomaru did not miss a thing.

Just as she began to feel tired, he pulled away, thick silver locks unwinding from her grasp as he did so. She watched him beneath the water as he swam, graceful as ever, noticing that although he did not need to, he had his eyes closed. Though tired, she blushed.


	2. Chapter 2: Orchid

A letter from the author:

As you all know, I did not write InuYasha, therefore Sesshomaru and Rin are not my characters. I had intended to publish this _weeks_ ago, but because Sesshomaru is not a man of many words and my depiction of Rin is definitely not aligned with the original child that is Rin, these stories are very difficult for me to write.

I try to make things as realistic as possible, as that's what I like to see when I read fanfiction. I am continuing to write this story and there _are_ more chapters to come, which will include more sexually explicit scenes.

There is also the possibility of an Inuyasha story by itself, as I've already started writing one.

Also, if anyone has rights to Sesshomaru artwork, I would love the ability to put a cover photo on this story. You will definitely be credited.

I love any feedback you might give me and I'm open to all criticism!

A glowing orb of white light came to rest soundlessly on a hilltop adorned by a great oak tree. Stretching out under the hill was a village, each house decorated with a plume of white smoke emanating from its chimney that stood out against the darkened sky. Windows all around glowed with the various progressions of fire, some smouldering low, others blazing with fresh fuel.

Things were serene; crickets chirping, frogs croaking, the sounds of children giggling and whispering, knowing they should be asleep. Lazy grey tufts of cloud moseyed through the sky with the slight breeze blowing, obstructing silver and golden stars decorating a breathtaking navy blue on their paths. The scent of broken grass blades, just-tilled soil, and fresh river water mostly obstructed the aroma of cooked rice, salted pork, and fried aubergines.

Somewhere in the village below, Sesshomaru's strangely raw senses could pick out his brother. The energy felt lazy. He imagined Inuyasha had finished dinner and was now dozing with his child in his arms.

He started down the hill, deliberately standing upwind, so as not to surprise his brother with his presence. As planned, he'd only taken a few steps in the direct path of the breeze before he heard Inuyasha stir in a home with a fire that had burned low.

_Interesting. They have built their own, _he thought, remembering that Inuyasha and Kagome had lived with Kaede between demon slaying excursions, before their son was born.

Inuyasha's expression must have been telling, because moments later, Kagome's voice could be heard, trying not to disturb the child.

"Huh? I wonder what Sesshomaru is doing here, at this time of night," she commented.

Just as Sesshomaru reached their threshold, Inuyasha emerged, his expression wary.

"Is something wrong?" Inuyasha asked pointedly, studying Sesshomaru's face.

"I have come for advice," Sesshomaru said. He made it clear through his tone that he _dared_ Inuyasha to point out the irregularity of the visit. The courtesy he gave his kin did not entail friendliness. Inuyasha's face remained impassive.

"Let's go for a walk," he finally announced.

Once far enough away to not be overheard, Inuyasha looked at his brother's face tentatively.

"Her scent is all over you," he said in a low, conversational voice.

Sesshomaru shot him a glare. He was still not used to being on speaking terms with his only kin, and enjoyed asking for advice even less. But Inuyasha was the only living person with the experience he needed.

Nothing was more important than Rin's life.

"Was Kagome hurt the first time you were intimate?" He asked, cutting right to the point.

It was Inuyasha's turn to be annoyed now. He shot his brother the same glare, though Inuyasha didn't possess the same venom. It took him a moment to answer.

"It could have been a lot worse. She was bruised and bitten," he admitted. "I tried to plan it on a new moon, for her safety. I failed."

"Rin does not have that luxury," Sesshomaru remarked. He glanced at Inuyasha again to study what his feelings were. Unfortunately, at this moment, a particularly terrible thought occurred to him, and the vibrance of scarlet blood was so vivid in his mind that he imagined he could smell it. Before he extinguished the image, emotion passed over his face.

_ So this is what I have become, _he thought. _A slave to my emotions. Little more than human._

Of course, Inuyasha happened to be glancing at the same time.

Scowling, Sesshomaru ignored the transaction.

"You weren't concerned about killing her?" He asked Inuyasha.

"No," Inuyasha said, his voice grave. "But I held her down, and bit her more than once. I started to turn, I could feel it."

"I was afraid of that," Sesshomaru stated. He was about to let him go back to his family when Inuyasha spoke up.

"Your situation is harder than mine. You're a monster. I've seen you slaughter innocent humans," Inuyasha said. He looked up at Sesshomaru's face as he said it, his voice neither taunting nor particularly concerned.

It took Sesshomaru a moment to process that Inuyasha was trying to remind him of his own nature. Keeping his face impassive, he looked away. Neither his pace nor his posture betrayed that anything had affected him emotionally.

The difference was that tonight, under the same stars he had watched change positions over the length of almost a thousand years, he felt a heart beating faintly beside his own. His blood of ice was a little warmer. There was something _missing_ from his hands now, though he couldn't explain what it was. Tenseiga weighed heavily on his hip. He had become more aware of it than ever before, in the hundreds of years it had been at his side.

"Nothing is more important to me than her life," Sesshomaru said. He changed direction slightly, so that they would eventually come full circle. Feeling ashamed in nakedness for the first time, Sesshomaru wanted to be alone.

Inuyasha returned with a slightly furrowed expression. Instead of telling Kagome, he waited for her to ask him, as he knew she would.

"Rin?" she asked knowingly.

Inuyasha met his wife's eyes.

"Yes," he said plainly.

Kagome sipped her tea, settling in her spot beside the window. Eventually, she nodded, but said nothing.

"He's going to have to figure it out on his own," Inuyasha said, putting a hand on her shoulder. Kagome looked up at him.

"Mm," was all she said, returning her gaze to the sky outside.

Inuyasha stayed awake long after his wife and son had fallen asleep, watching them and listening to their surroundings. As he gazed upon them, he felt the warmth he had grown accustomed to spread across his chest and into his extremities.

_I wonder if Sesshomaru feels this now,_ he thought. _I wonder if it's the first time he's ever felt it._

He dozed off leaning up against the wall, remembering giving Kagome the scars on her neck. How the warmth he felt in his chest now could quickly turn into a fire.

_Her flushed cheeks shined brightly with sweat in the firelight. As he kissed slowly down her torso, her heady scent intensified. Contrasting from earlier, she spread her legs for him easily now, with no shyness._

So I've kissed the shyness out of her,_ he thought, licking the skin of her mons, trying to tease her but still desperate to taste her. The sounds she made in response made him throb. Unable to resist any longer, he kissed her and moaned softly at the flavour. She tasted like strawberry and honey. Kagome's hands wound through his hair lovingly as she undulated her hips. The more he sucked and kissed, the stronger the taste of honey became._

Inuyasha shook his head, brushing a hand over his semi-erection, drowsily gazing at his wife.

_Thankful for once of the new moon, he inserted two fingers to where he could feel her need the strongest. It was as though this gave him complete control over her body. He beckoned for her to cum with them, bringing uncontrollable shivers to her hips. She untangled her hands from his hair to grip bed roll beneath them. He understood: she had to hold onto something to keep herself from getting lost._

_ But he wanted her to be lost. He continued his ministrations, aware of how her grip was loosening. With a cry that sounded like pain, she let go and orgasm rolled over her like thunder through a valley. She moaned his name, gasping through the intensity. This laid waste to a barrier that neither of them knew existed: a need she had never acknowledged was suddenly in the light. With it fulfilled, his own arose; he wanted her so badly it ached in his groin and burned in his chest. She sat up with effort, looking at him with tears in her eyes. For the first time, she didn't cover her breasts._

_ "Inuyasha -" she began, but he knew what she was going to say. He kissed her as he wiped away the falling tears, knowing she could taste herself on his lips._

Inuyasha opened his eyes, flustered. Knowing it would do no good to punish himself with desire, he moved from his spot on the wall and laid down beside his wife, kissing the scars showing on the back of her neck. Although she was asleep, goosebumps raised there.

Finding rest with her in his arms was easy.

Rin had been awake for hours, as though a constant flow of energy had kept her from sleep. Although the sun was taking its time breaking the surface of the horizon, the birds had begun to chirp, which came to her as a relief. If they were awake, it was natural for her to rise. A strange feeling made her think that things were about to change. Despite the abnormality, she went through the motions she usually would every morning.

The sky outside reflected the hesitant sun, bathing the flora in her garden with ethereal blue light. She sat down on her walkway with a cup of hot tea. She was reminded of the night before, when a barely perceivable aura of white light had emanated from where Sesshomaru had been watching. The memory of his luminescent skin under the moonlight mirrored her feelings on all of creation; he was like a masterpiece that she longed to capture somehow. Unlike Suisen and Fuji flowers, she could not work him onto a tapestry using fine thread and needle.

Almost as though he had heard her thoughts, Rin perceived a subdued presence behind her. He approached with the quietest footsteps. She turned to face him, her tea suddenly feeling too hot in her grasp. Butterflies fluttered their wings around her navel.

Wordlessly, he held out his hand.

They came to a stop on a crest at the edge edge of a forest, where evergreen trees had become sparse. In a valley below, the barely distinguishable remains of a castle long destroyed could be detected by one that had seen this type of carnage before. The original timbers were rotted, and trees had popped up where buildings once stood. The land itself bore reminiscent signs of being burned. _Death _crawled across her skin, making her itch. This was a place of great sadness, a place where glory had come to an end. Sesshomaru's sight was fixed on the derelict scene before him. The ghost of something like sadness or mourning veiled his normally expressionless face.

"This is the hill I last saw my father on, before he sacrificed his life to save the baby Inuyasha and his mother, Izayoi," Sesshomaru said, his tone a little softer than usual. The command presence in his voice dissipated. Rin knew this voice was only for her ears. Were anyone else to hear it would bear him shame.

"He died in that castle," he said in the same tender voice, speaking to the place they were in rather than to her. "He was gravely injured from his battle with Ryukotsei. If I had helped him, he would be alive today."

A breath of wind reached them, mixing the unique muted scent that hung on Sesshomaru's skin and a distant rain together. Rin came closer to his side. The scent made her feel a mysterious sadness, even though the sun was climbing west, bathing them in warmth. She observed his face tentatively, thinking about the way his voice wounded the air. If this new, more open Sesshomaru disappeared today. . . Rin wanted to remember him.

He turned to gaze upon her, making his silvery hair cast a shadow on his skin.

"I have never loved any thing," he told her. Rin's stomach filled with the strangest sensation, like stones settling where the butterflies once were. "On that night, I told my father, who was dripping blood into the snow, that he could not die for Izayoi. Because my destiny was to kill him, to be more powerful than he ever was."

He did not flinch away at his own words. Rin could tell that he was deliberately showing her who he was. He was giving her a rare, intimate look at his history that he shared with no one.

She held his gaze.

"I do not love my power, or my kingdom. I do not love the seasons, or the people that look to me for protection. I never loved my mother, my father, or Inuyasha."

He took a single step closer, closing the distance between them. Those butterflies had returned, cohabitating with the stones that had come to rest at her midsection. His expression did not change, but his eyes did. Rin stood still, waiting for what she knew was coming as her heart began to skip. It occurred to her for the first time that she'd never kissed a soul, never held someone's hand. A millennia of experience stood between them. At the last second, she became bewildered and insecure, feeling tiny in the eyes of a great demon lord.

Sesshomaru took her chin in his hand. At the contact of their skin, warmth melted down her neck, relaxing her. Those hands that so many feared. He raised her face to meet his.

"I risked my life - my immortal life - for you," he said quietly.

As he lowered his face to hers, she could feel his breath against her lips. It was warmer than she expected. She refused to let her ignorance prevent these fantasies from coming to fruition. Feeling nauseous, she watched his lips as he spoke the next few words.

"I don't know how this will go," he whispered. Doubt cast a shadow over him, but Rin closed her eyes and met his kiss.

He was strangely warm, even though she was not cold. An unexpected yield in his lips caught her off guard, making her breath hitch - it was almost as though he burned her. Instead of flinching away, she lost a little bit of grip on control she didn't know she needed. Almost as though he was intentionally drawing out pleasure from her, her hands went to the back of his head, threading through his hair. Every one of his feelings bled through her skin; he _adored_ her sudden hunger, and met her pace with his own. She knew he wanted to spoil her this way, to give her exactly what he wanted. The feeling was so deep that she got lost there. The heaviness in her stomach began to warn her, _you are losing yourself in his heart._

Not missing a beat, as soon as the change this feeling caused set in to her muscles, he slowed. Pulling away, Sesshomaru stopped with just enough space for a breeze to flow between them. All Rin could hear was her pulse in her ears, beating like a fast-paced drum.

"I have someone to protect," he said, his wet lips hovering over hers.


End file.
